Bell ringing device for electric toy trains



Sept. 6, 1938. PEFFERS 2,129,233

BELL RINGING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC TOY TRAINS Filed May 1a, 1958 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 6, 11938. A. N. PEFFERS 2,129,233

BELL RINGING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC TOY TRAINS Filed May 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 1 s x 4Z0 INVENTOR ATTO R N EYS M NES/AZ?! Patented Sept. 6, 1938 BELL RINGING DEVICE FOR. meme Tor TRAIN Albert N. Pefiers, Ossining. N. Y. Application May 1c, 1938, Serial 208,276 r 2 Claims. (oi. 246-474) This-invention relates to. bell ringing devices for jelectrictoy trains and'has for an object to provide an electro-magnet supplied with current by wayside apparatus through collecting means on the train for ringing a miniature bellon an electric engine at certainpoints inthe track; as for example, on a straight stretch of track just preceding a curve. I

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed ofa few strong simple and durable parts, whichwill be inexpensiveito manufacture and install and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the inventionconsists of certain novel details of con struction and combinations of parts hereinafter :fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may beresorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing fromithespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electric engine equipped with a bell ringing device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the engine taken on the line 22 of Figure 1 and showing the contact shoes for the electro-magnet in rear elevation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan viewof a section of the track showing the conductor strip for supplying current from a transformer to the electro-magnet when thecontrol switch is closed.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3 showing the flush joint between two sections of the conductor strip.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one end of a conductor bar section.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the end of an adjacent conductor bar section to be joined to the section shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the track and showing adjacent sections disconnected, and also showing the transformer and the control switch for the bell ringing electro-magnet.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, I designates the engine of a toy electric train, the same running on metal track rails I l which are grounded to metal ties l2, there being a third rail I3 connected by a wire l4 to a transformer for supplying current to run the train. One of the track rails is connected by a wire l6 to the transformer. These wayside parts for supplying current are conventional.

In carrying out the invention a miniature bell I1 is mounted to rock on a shaft 18 which is journaled in sidesof an arched; bracket l9 mounted ontop-of the:engine-nea1?the front thereof. The bell is provided with a crank lever :29 through the medium of which the bell may be rocked to per mit thexclapper 2| toimpinge against the bell and simulate the ringing of an actual locomotive bell.

A cable 22 is connectedto the lever 29 and is trained through aguide eye 23 formed in the upper end of a braoket arm. which is secured to the top of. the locomotive. ,From thence the cable is. trained over 'a guide pulley 25 carried by a bracket 26 which is securedto the top of the locomotive cab and thence is directed downwardly into the cab through an opening 21.

- A1 lever 28 isconnected-at the forward end to the rear end of' thecable and at, the rear end is provided with a bearing sleeve 29 which is journaled on a shaft 30 extending transversely of the locomotive cab. The sleeve is insulated from the shaft through the medium of a sleeve 3| of insulating material, best shown in Figure 2. A helical spring 32 is connected at one end to the top of the cab through the medium of a bushing 23 and is secured at the lower end to the lever 28. An armature 34 is secured to the underneath face of the lever in advance of the spring and is adapted to be attracted by the core of an electro-magnet 35 to pull the cable and rock the bell in one direction while the spring 32 moves the lever to slack the cable and permit the bell to rock in the opposite direction when the electro-magnet is deenergized.

An electro-magnet 35 is mounted upon an annular bracket arm 36 secured transversely to the cab as shown in Figure 2 and the circuit wires 31 of the coil are connected to respective collecting devices comprising spring metal shoes 38 which are secured to a bracket arm 39 secured to the bottom of the cab and formed of insulating material. One of the shoes is longer than the other shoe and is adapted to have wiping contact with the metal ties l2 to break the circuit to the electro-magnet as the shoe crosses the gap between two adjacent ties. The other shoe is adapted to have rubbing contact with a conductor bar 40 which is mounted on a strip 4| of insulating material secured to the ties between one of the track rails II and the third rail l3, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3.

A switch 42 is provided with a movable switch contact 43 and a fixed switch contact 44, the

between the sections, and the conductor bar 40 having an interfitting tongue 50 and groove 5| to provide a flush joint at the meeting ends of the sections as best shown in Figures 4, 5

and 6.

In operation when the movable switch arm 43 is moved to circuit closing position, current will be supplied to the metal contact strip 40 and when the long shoe 38 is in contact with a metal tie, a circuit may be traced from the transformer, through the wire 45, movable contact 43 of the switch 42, fixed contact 44, wire 45,'metal conductor bar 40, short shoe 38, conductor bar 31, coil of the electro-magnet 35 and through the other wire 31 to the tie, track rail II and wire I6 to the transformer. When this circuit isthus closed the armature 34 will be attracted by the core of the electro-magnet and the lever 28 will be swung downward to pull the cable 22 and rock the bell in one direction. As soon as the short shoe leaves the tie the circuit will be broken and the spring 32 will immediately pull the lever upward to slack oil the cable 22 and permit the bell to swing in the opposite direction. Thus an audible bell ringing to simulate actual bell ringing on a locomotive is effected, while at the same time movement of the bell cable 22 is visible to simulate movement of the pulling of an actual locomotive bell cable.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a toy electric track and electric locomotive thereon, of a contact bar disposed adjacent to the track, means for supplying an electric current to the bar, said track having rails and tiesforming a return circuit for the current, metal brushes carried by and insulated from the locomotive, one brush having wiping contact with said bar and the other brush having wiping contact with said ties to interrupt the current, an electro-magnet on the locomotive electrically connected to said brushes, a bell on the locomotive, a spring controlled lever connected to the bell, and an armature for rocking the lever to ring the bell when the electro-magnet is energized.

2. The combination with an electric toy track and locomotive thereon, of a bell pivotally mounted on the locomotive and simulating an actual locomotivebell, a cable for ringing the bell, electro-magnetic means for pulling the cable in one direction, a spring opposing said means for slacking the cable to permit return of the bell to initial position, said track having rails and ties forming a circuit for said electromagnetic means, a wayside source of current supply for the circuit, a bar forming a conductor in said circuit and located longitudinally of the track at a predetermined point thereof, and collecting brushes on the locomotive electrically connected to" said electro-magnetic means and engaging said bar conductor and said ties, said brushes intermittently interrupting the circuit as the locomotive travels upon the track.

ALBERT N. PEF'FERS. 

